Hip-hop isn't taking over the Grammy Awards, at least not yet, but don't tell that to rappers Lil Wayne, Jay-Z and Kanye West. They accounted for a combined 20 Grammy nominations, with Lil Wayne earning a field-leading eight nominations, including an Album of the Year nod for his “Tha Carter III,” the year's best-selling album.

Jay-Z and West, who are each vying in 6 categories, did not get nominated for the Album of the Year. The British band Coldplay, with 7 nominations, was the only rock act to top Jay-Z and West, although former Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant shared five nominations with bluegrass queen Alison Krauss for their hit alternative-country album, “Raising Sand.”

In addition to Lil Wayne and Plant and Krauss, the other Album of the Year nominees include Coldplay, R&B singer Ne-Yo and the British art-rock band Radiohead, whose “In Rainbows” was initially available only as a digital download from the group's Web site, for as much or as little as buyers were willing to pay.

Contenders for the Best New Artist award include teen-pop sensations The Jonas Brothers, country trio Lady Antebellum and singers Duffy, Adele and Jazmine Sullivan.

San Diego jazz sax legend James Moody, Oceanside troubadour Jason Mraz and Tijuana's Nortec Collective head the list of area nominees. North County's Steve Vaus and Pam Cypel, who perform as children's music duo Buck Howdy with BB, earned their second nomination in as many years. (They did not win last year.)

“We're stunned,” Vaus said of their new nomination for Best Spoken Word Album for Children. “It's kind of funny to be up for a Spoken Word Album award and be speechless.”

Moody, who has previously been nominated three times without winning, was “shocked” by his latest nomination. “I'm also very happy and humbled,” the tireless 83-year-old saxophonist said.

Nominations for all 110 categories for the 51st annual Grammy Awards were announced Wednesday night in Los Angeles, during and after a prime-time national CBS-TV special that featured such Grammy favorites as Foo Fighters, John Mayer B.B. King and Celine Dion. Winners will be announced during the Feb. 8 Grammy telecast on CBS and will air live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles (with a 3-hour time delay on the West Coast).

The decision to announce the nominations at night and partly during a TV special, rather than at the usual morning press conference, reflects a concerted effort for more attention by the Grammy Awards. Last year's Grammy telecast drew 17.2 million viewers, its smallest audience in years.

“The Grammy Awards process once again has yielded a comprehensive, diverse and eclectic group of excellent nominees across multiple genres,” said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy, under whose auspices the Grammys are presented.